Jordan Walker just had his career best game after a roller coaster sophomore season. Let’s talk about it. After an underappreciated rookie campaign that’s on swing the bat well down the stretch, people expected a big year two from Walker. However, with him struggling in his first 58 at bats of 2024, he was back in Triple A. Which is kind of a pattern the Cardinals have been very neglectful in the development of Walker as following making him switch from third base to the outfield so he can have a spot on the big league roster. Walker started his career in a 12 game hitting streak in 2023, but soon after he was back in the minors. Try and help him mechanically. And while in hindsight that probably did work in 2024 they kept the guy who had a 2 76 average and 16 homers as a 21 year old the prior year in Triple A for months. An absolute confidence destroyer. And to make matters worse, when they caught him up again in August, they only gave him 11 AB’s before giving him the boot again. However, following some roster moves, Walker got another shot in the big leagues in the end of August. In a series against the Yankees and with the set tied at a game of peace, Walker took over, not only starting his day with back to back knocks off Nestor Cortez, but absolutely crushing his first Homer for the year, 422 feet Off of Funky Riley in Scott E. Frost before finishing his day with two more singles to go 5 for five. While this game overall was a sloppy mess, something Walker was not exempt from in the field, the Cardinals still grabbed a 14 to 7 victory. So yeah, the 22 year old who’s younger than top prospects like Dylan Cruz and Kobe Mayo, has all the tools in the world to be a legit big leaguer, and hopefully the Cardinals start treating them that way.